Serum Levels of Il-12 and Il-23 in Breast Cancer Patients Infected with Toxoplasma gondii: A Case-Control Study

Background: The possible risk factor of Toxoplasma infection and its possible correlation with Interleukin-12 (IL-12) and Interleukin-23 (IL-23) in breast cancer patients was investigated. Methods: Overall, 190 female patients referred to the Oncology Teaching Hospital in the Medical City Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq were enrolled from 2017-2018. All serum samples were tested for T. gondii immunoglobulins (IgG and IgM (antibodies and IL-12, IL-23 levels. Results: In patients with breast cancer, the results revealed a high positivity percentage for anti- Toxoplasma IgG. In breast cancer patients infected with T. gondii, the IL-12 level was lower than the controls while the mean level of IL-23 was higher than the controls. According to the cancer grade in breast cancer patients infected with T. gondii, the higher mean titer of IgG and IL-23 was in grade 3 in contrast the highest mean titer of IL-12 was in grade 1. Concerning the tumor stages in breast cancer patients infected with T. gondii, the higher mean titer of IgG, IL-12 and IL-23 was in stage (III). According to the tumor size in breast cancer patients infected with T. gondii, the highest mean titer of IgG, IL-12 and IL-23 was in size >3cm. Conclusion: The levels of IL-23 could be a candidate as a non-invasive primitive marker for earlier prediction of breast cancer stage.